1/15/02 Shared by: George Youssef. He has a e-mail newsletter and marketing program. Contact his at: george@chirosuccess.com "Skyrocket Your Practice Using Multiple Sources Of New Patients" Before I go any further, I'm going to share with you a profound truth - no one source will be the "magic bullet" to getting all the new patients you want. It took me a very long time to learn this basic idea. For years I searched for the single ultimate marketing strategy that would grow my business like wildfire. And you know what - I never found it. And more than likely, neither have you, nor will you ever. There's a reason for that though, and the reason is that it is extremely rare that any one single strategy will ever produce enough new patients to allow you to achieve your goal. In truth, what you will want to do is have 3-6 different sources of acquiring new patients. This way, each strategy will only have to produce a realistic number of patients, thus allowing you to achieve your goal no matter what it might be. I'll tell you a true story... Not too long ago, I had a chiropractor call me up on the phone, asking advice about his marketing. After talking a bit, I find out that he stopped using an advertisement that was bringing him 15 new patients a month, because his goal was to bring in 30 patients, and the ad wasn't producing enough new patients to allow him to reach his goal. So what he wanted from me was a new strategy that will get those 30 patients each month. I couldn't believe my ears! This guy was producing 15 new patients every single month, just by running the same ad (and by the way, the ad was costing him just a little over a $1,000. So the cost to acquire each new patient was less than $100, but the average lifetime value of each patient was $1,500 - $2,000)! And all the effort that it took from him was calling up the newspaper and telling them to run the ad again! I couldn't believe it. Well, actually I could. This doctor was not the only one who has told me a similar story, and that's why I'm actually writing this today. Enough is enough! It's about time someone shared with you the truth about marketing your practice. And the truth is just what I told this doctor - keep on running that advertisement. And in addition to the ad, find 2-3 other strategies that will allow you to achieve your goal. Unfortunately, I don't think that this particular doctor took my suggestion too seriously. He was just looking for a magic solution, not a realistic plan. Hopefully, you're looking for a plan that is both realistic and effective, not a "get rich quick scheme" or in this case, a "get patients quick scheme." And whether your goal is to get 10 new patients a month, or 100 new patients a month, this plan will get you there. Here are some strategies which you could use to grow your practice... 1) Referrals - Ask for referrals or send out letters asking for referrals. Referrals are one of the ways that chiropractors have been getting new patients for years, so keep on using it. 2) Reactivating Inactive Patients - There is no easier patient to get than one who has already been to you in the past. So work your patient database. Call these inactive patients up, send them letters, or invite them to a patient appreciation day. 3) Advertisements - You don't have to be like the doctor I mentioned above. Even if you're not getting 30 new patients from each ad, even a few can get you to your goal. 4) Direct Mail - Send letters to your neighbors, people who just moved in, prospects whom you have met at screenings or when giving talks. Direct mail can be a very powerful source of new patients - just use your imagination as to all the different ways you can use it. 5) Screenings - This is one of the oldest strategies used by chiropractors. You can work on your scripts and props to get more bang from each screening, or find additional opportunities to hold screenings. Also, you will also want to get the name, address, and e-mail address of everyone you speak with, whether or not they become patients. This way you can market to them later on. 6) Giving Talks - Get a hold of companies and organizations that are looking for speakers. You can go through your yellow pages and call them up, or send them a letter. And once you do get the opportunity to give a talk, collect the mailing information of your audience members, that way you can market to them later on. 7) Internet Marketing - This is an entire topic all in itself. But you will want to have a web site, and send out a monthly newsletter by e-mail. In addition, having an e-mail list of patients and prospects allows you to send out promotions absolutely free. 8) Telemarketing - I don't like getting telemarketing calls, and probably neither do you. But you know what, once in a blue moon I do purchase something from a telemarketing call. And that's why companies keep on using it - and if it works for them, it can work for you as well. 9) Talking to People You Meet - Hey, you're always in contact with people - when you go to a store, get gas, have lunch, etc. Start talking to people, let them know what you do, and hand out business cards or gift certificates for a free exam. 10) Going Door to Door - This definitely takes a special person. Heck, I've got to be honest and say that I probably don't have the testicular fortitude to do it. But if you've got what it takes to go door to door and talk to people, then this strategy can be solid gold. 11) Other Doctor Referrals - You want to establish relationships with other doctors who aren't chiropractors. I know chiropractors who are doing this right now, and are having fantastic results with this strategy. The key to making it work is to keep the original doctor up-to-date on the condition of the patient, and to have the patient go back to the doctor for an exam after the condition has improved. You will also want to keep in mind that the referring doctor is also human, and wants to feel confident that once you've helped the patient with the problem he was having, that you'll send him back to the original doctor. 12) Attorneys Referrals - If a person needs an attorney for being in an accident, then the attorney will need to refer that person to a doctor, so why shouldn't it be you. Contact all the personal injury attorneys in your area, and start cultivating a relationship with them. 13) Endorsement Marketing - Getting other business to endorse you to their customers can be an excellent method of getting new patients. Use your imagination - dry cleaners, stores, dentists, car dealerships, auto repair shops... The list just keeps on going and going. Now, here's the thing - none of the ideas above have to work magically in order for you to achieve your goal. In fact, you only need to get a few patients from each strategy, and bingo, you've hit the jackpot! And the ideas I mentioned above are just that, ideas. There are literally hundreds of strategies that you can use for getting new patients. So even if some ideas don't work for you, that's okay. All you have to do is find a few strategies that each will provide you with a few new patients, but when you add up all the new patients from all these sources, then you find that the number can be huge. So, let's sum everything up in one paragraph: Don't look for the elusive strategy that will get you all the patients you could ever want - such a strategy does not exist. Instead, you want to develop a collection of strategies that each provide a trickle of new patients, but where when combined, provide you with all the patients you want - whether it's 10 new patients a month or 100 new patients a month.